Starting Your Own Candle Business

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Starting Your Own Candle Business

Over the years people have started their candle business in many different ways and for many different reasons. For some, the business may have grown out of a hobby they enjoyed, for others it may be because of the loss of a job. Or perhaps it stemmed from the desire to start a company and finding through research what a great business the candle industry can be.

According to the National Candle Association, 7 out of 10 households burn candles. Talk about a great opportunity! If 70% of prospective people desire your product, you are off to a great start. The key is starting your business off right, so that you give it the best opportunity to succeed.

Finding the proper way to start your business is always difficult. If your business started as a hobby you probably have mastered the candle making side of things, but you may not know how to run a business. If you researched a business and how to start a business you probably have never made a candle. The key, no matter where you are starting from, is to do as much research as possible on both subjects. Running a candle business requires you to serve many functions, especially in the beginning. You are the Production Supervisor, Salesman, Marketing Director and Accounting Manager.

If you have already done the research on how to start your business, then the Candlewic website is the perfect resource for learning how to make the candles. To get started, it is always recommended to keep things simple. Focus on a single type of line, i.e. containers or pillars. This way, the inventory of your waxes is kept to a minimum and you are not trying to learn a number of different techniques and processes. The Candlewic site has an excellent
video on making soy wax candles

If Soy is not your cup of tea, it is still worth watching this video to learn the basics of the candle making process. Here is another excellent video on how to go about
choosing the proper wax for you.

If you still have some unanswered questions after reviewing these videos, let our friend and resident expert
Chandler help you out.

Chandler can help you get started no matter what type of candle you want to make. The step by step process can be great for learning to make pillar, votives and other natural wax candles. Another great site to learn as much as possible about making candles would be:

Without a doubt, one of the best resources to be found is ALL the back issues of our Newsletters. We have covered a wide range of subjects related to candle making and we strongly encourage you to read as many of these as possible:

If you are looking to take the first step, be sure to download our catalog to see all of the items you need to make candles. The National Candle Association estimates the candle business to gross over 2 billion annually. Many opportunities exist out there to grow your business.

The actual starting of a business will require you to use multiple sources to get all of the information you will need. Unfortunately, one of the hardest realities in today's business climate is that before you sell your first candle you must be sure to have some type of insurance. Sometimes a homeowner's policy can cover you if you do it as a "craft" or "hobby business." The requirements vary from state to state, so start researching this very important topic.

One of the great unknown resources we have written about before to help get guidance on starting or running a business is an organization called SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). This non-profit organization consists of retired executives who will meet with you to discuss starting your business, or if you have already started one, how to effectively grow your business. They offer a wide range of effective free services, such as one on one meetings, online email counseling and local workshops. The network they employ has a wide range of expertise with their membership. They also have an excellent website which provides most things you will need to know about starting and running a business. This is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to make sure they have a good starting point for their business. For more information on SCORE be sure to check out their website.

The key to starting and growing any business is to get as many people involved in your research as possible, so you completely understand what you may be getting involved with.

As more and more people learn about the limitations of each of the waxes, I am always asked,

Can I blend all of the waxes?

The answer is yes! You can certainly blend any of the waxes together (with the exception of gel wax). You can take any percentage of paraffin, soy, palm and beeswax and blend them together if you so desire. To what extent of blending will vary on what you are trying to achieve as a product. Mixing soy and paraffin can help you make your candles look more natural, but also improve the fragrance throw because paraffin wax is part of the formula.

June 2012

Featured Project:Grubby Candles

Before beginning to describe this project, it may be best for us to describe what a "grubby candle" might be. While you probably will not find an official definition for a grubby candle, many people use the term to refer to the look of the candle, appearing like the surface of the candle is frosted or a layer is missing. Unlike mottling, where the finish is actually "internal" on the candle, the finish on this candle will actually impact the surface.
This candle is always a favorite among candle makers since it is relatively easy to make. The level of "grubbiness" can be controlled.

Any size aluminum mold can be used for this candle. We find the most popular is the 3 x 4½. You begin this project by chilling the mold for about 10-15 minutes. You then take the 4045H wax and add about 10% stearic acid to the formulation. Melt your wax to around 150-155 degrees Fahrenheit and pour it into the chilled mold as any standard pillar. Top off where needed and remove from the mold when the candle has completely hardened. Due to the peeling of the wax, the candle may have to be placed in the freezer for removal.

Related News

On behalf of the entire Candlewic staff, I want to sincerely thank you for all of your support in 2012. Without the support of our customers we would not be entering our 43rd year of business in 2013. We often write that over the 42 years there have been many changes in the business environment, but in our little "candle world" very little has really changed. Yes, there are new types of waxes, new fragrances being introduced and new jars designed, but the basic premise of melting the wax, adding color/fragrance and pouring remains virtually unchanged. In the technology world, it seems that every year a new product arrives another one becomes obsolete.

Lately, it seems like each issue of the Enlightener gives you a new job title. This issue is no different. Some of our past issues have assigned you as an accountant, a perfumer, a production manager and now, to ensure your candle business survives, it is important that you become the new shipping manager. It is important to understand the importance of all the inbound and outbound shipping options for your customers.

The term "candle making" can take on many meanings for our readers. For the beginner, candle making is taking a milk carton or extra container and pouring wax in it to make their own candle. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the large manufacturer that produces thousands of candles a day and, in some instances, employs thousands of employees. Most candlemakers are somewhere in between, and the needs for businesses vary greatly.